Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative

Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative (AYEDI) is a federally registered non-profit organization based in Toronto, ON, dedicated to empowering Afghan-Canadian youth through comprehensive civic engagement and community leadership programming. Founded in May 2018, AYEDI delivers targeted services designed to build mental, social, and community health outcomes for young people aged 13 to 29 across Canada. The organization specializes in creating enriched programming activities that develop community-building skills, civic engagement capacity, and community leadership competencies among first- and second-generation, newcomer, and refugee Afghan youth. AYEDI's core service offerings include mentorship opportunities that connect youth with experienced community leaders and change makers, networking platforms that facilitate peer-to-peer connections and knowledge sharing, and advocacy support that amplifies youth voices in policy and program development at all levels of government. Operating on a non-partisan basis, AYEDI addresses critical gaps in access to educational and vocational development opportunities for Afghan-Canadian youth living in low socioeconomic circumstances. The organization's leadership model is distinctly youth-centered, with programming designed by and for Afghan-Canadian youth to ensure cultural relevance and authentic engagement. Through its strategic pillars of capacity building, enriched programming, and inclusive engagement, AYEDI provides Toronto's Afghan community and communities across Canada with essential pathways for youth to develop their voices, pursue educational advancement, and contribute meaningfully to civic life.